Searching for new experiences at the bottom of every bowl and plate...

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Breakaway from the Danforth

The Danforth has many great places for wining and dining. It is ironic that my favorite place for gyros falls just outside its borders. Thanks to @SpiceCityTO's blog about this place, I found another reason to explore the fringes even more.

Makkah restaurant was going to be a quick detour on my way to the gym. The server was quite social when I entered the premise noticing that I was a new comer. On the menu was quite a selection of offerings as well specials which had whet my appetite. I couldn't eat too much or I'll regret it at the gym so I opted for something simple, handheld and portable. The name also caught my eye so I ordered the foot long kebab sandwich.

After I placed the order, I was told to have a seat and the food will be delivered to the table. Honestly I really didn't want to wait since I was really short on time before the group exercises begins. It was a slow day because of the weather but I did see an old couple there with a tall stack of naan bread with their meal. How would fresh naan bread with butter and spicy maple syrup taste like... my mind came back to reality as my food arrived. Aromas of fresh baked goodness and grilled meats had me chained to the spot. My curiosity and hunger was getting the better of me and I had to sample this while it is still hot!

At first glance it looked rather spartan and it wasn't quite a foot long sandwich. All that was forgiven when I peeled back its silvery sheath.

The first thought in my mind was why haven't I seen this at other places! It is deliciousness! This is now one of my favorite handheld foods from just the aromas alone. Toasted buttery naan combined with the charred meaty kebab and the spicy tandoori flavor with whole cardamon seeds just floored my taste buds. Delving into it I found the longest kebab that stretched along the entire length of the pita. Garnishes for this was slim but sufficient to give it a nice crunch. Something that is new and different is always appreciated from the plethora of burgers, souvlakis, and gyros that have almost become mundane.

Half-way into it the stomach sends a signal back to my brain to come back to earth. Luckily this was just enough time to catch my bus and arrive on narrowly on time. Now I'm definitely coming back for that chicken biryani tuesday special for $3.49.